Our Blog – Page 45 – Pure Beauty – The Lichfield Beauty Salon

Why You Should Be Using a Primer

17/02/2018 20/02/2018 0

It seems, in recent years, that everyone’s make-up routine has become a whole lot more complicated. Instead of applying foundation, then eyes and lips, now everyone is starting with their eyebrows before foundation, using primer, then contouring, then baking, then using a finishing spray, then…the list just seems to go on and on and it’s not great for those of us who want something a little lower maintenance!

The one step that we would definitely recommend keeping is primer. But what is primer and why should you be adding it to your routine? We’ve got the down-low below.

What is primer?

Primer is basically a base for your foundation, which allows your make up to go on smoother and last for longer. They usually have a creamy texture and goes on after you’ve cleansed, toned and moisturised, but before you apply your make up.

What does is do?

There are different primers which do different things, but as we said above, the main objective with a primer is to prep your skin for make up and make your skin smoother. There are primers which can blur imperfections, reduce pore size, tackle dryness, reduce oiliness and even reduce redness. It can make a huge impact on the lasting power of your foundation and can enhance the effects of your make-up base.

Who is it good for?

Well, everyone! The beauty of primers is that there’s one out there for everyone and providing you do our research you should be able to find one which works for you. Be realistic about your skin type when trying to find a primer – if you’ve got oily skin, you’ll want an oil-free primer, or if you’ve got dry skin, opting for one which adds moisturiser should be a priority.

How Do I Use It?

Make-up artist Joanna Schlip says that you should apply primer with your fingertips if you’re using it on your whole face, however “If only using for small areas, I’d recommend a brush. I like to use a concealer or lip brush for this”. She also recommends using a primer even more religiously “if you live, visit or plan on traveling anywhere that experiences either hot and humid or cold and dry temperatures” as this will really help to keep your make-up in place.

Life and Fashion

Keep your make up fresh

13/02/2018 12/02/2018 0

You might think that once your make up is on, you are done and ready to go, but the truth is if you don’t keep things clean, you could be heading for beauty disaster.

We have looked some of the most common questions please ask about beauty first aid and hope it helps your keep your products clean and fresh .

How long should you keep your products?
The majority of liquids have a 12 month shelf life and for powders it’s 24 months. Mascara, doesn’t keep for as long so we would suggest replacing it every 3 months and if you have any eye infections, throw products away and don’t use new ones until you are 100% better.

Do I need to clean my brushes?
It is vital to keep your brushes and sponges clean as they are the perfect breeding ground for germs and bugs which you don’t want spreading on your skin. Spray clean brushes after each use and once a week, deep clean them using a mild baby shampoo and warm water, leaving them to dry overnight. Do remember brushes with wooden bases need to dry on an angle so they do not soak up the water and become deformed.

What about sponges?
You do need to keep sponges and powder puffs clean and the easiest way to do this is to pop them into your washing machine along with polishing cloths and flannels, which can also be home to bacteria.

How often should I clean my make-up bag?
Let’s be honest, make up bags can get really messy, so give them a good clean with an anti-bac wipe once a week, pop them in the washing machine once a month and every year, treat yourself to a new one.

Where should I keep my make-up bag?
We suggest having one bag you use for essentials during the day, but it is a good idea to keep your main make up stash in a cool, dark place. Direct sunlight not only changes the colour of foundations but warm conditions encourage bacteria to breed, so radiators are a no no for make up bags.

Is it true that sharing make-up isn’t a good idea?
In a word, yes. Bacteria can easily spread from person to person so only use your products and brushes and don’t share with friends or borrow items from other people.

How do I keep my lipstick hygienic?
Our mouths carry bacteria, and lids do fall off, so cleaning your lipstick every so often isn’t a bad idea. To do this, simply wind your lipstick tube up slightly, and wipe off the top layer with a clean tissue. Next, pour a little rubbing alcohol or vodka into a shot glass and dip the exposed lipstick into the liquid for 30 seconds. Then, gently dab the alcohol off and allow to dry. This is harmless to the lipstick but will keep it clean and in good shape.

Do I need to clean my eyelash curler?
Yes is the answer to this question. Eyelash curlers will get covered in mascara, eye shadow and foundation so you need to keep them really clean. Don’t let dirt build up and instead clean the device each time you use it with cotton wool and eye make up remover or baby oil. Rinse once clean and leave to dry. Again, we don’t recommend sharing curlers as this is how infections can spread.

If you have any questions, do get in touch and we will do our best to help.

Facial Treatments, Health and Happiness

Facial Hair Removal for Women – Problems and Aftercare Solutions

10/02/2018 12/02/2018 0

More and more women these days are opting for facial hair removal, such as threading, waxing and even shaving. Women of all ethnicities have to deal with hair on their faces, from the finest white hairs which grow on chins to darker hairs on the top lip or sideburns, and everyone seems happier than ever to talk about it, which we LOVE. There are several problems which can arise after removing hair from your face, so we thought we’d take a look at them, as well as some solutions which may help.

Ingrown Hairs

Ingrown hairs are a problem that almost everyone will have to deal with at some point or another if they’re removing hair. They’re caused by hairs growing back on themselves and becoming embedded under the skin, and they sometimes look like white heads. Exfoliating is a good way to avoid ingrown hairs as it removes dead skin cells which may be plugging up your follicles, so using the Dermalogica Exfoliating Face Brush before removing hair will really help.

Regrowth

There’s nothing more annoying than getting rid of hairs, only to feel like they’re growing back again after just a day or two, but unless you opt for something more permanent like laser removal, regrowth will always be a factor. Decleor Post-Wax Double Action Gel can be used after all methods of hair removal and contains ingredients which will actually slow down hair regrowth, reducing the amount of hair removal you need to do.

Soreness/Redness

Although it’s a necessary evil, hair removal can leave our skin looking red and feeling sore and sensitive. The combination of scarping or pulling of the skin and the stripping of essential oils from the area can be uncomfortable, so treating the area with Decleor Rose D’Orient Soothing Oil Serum, post-hair removal is a great way to soothe and repair your skin.

Spots

Many women report problems with spots especially after waxing, and this can be doubly annoying when you’ve just made your face smooth and hair-free. Dermalogica Emergency Spot Fix is a topical treatment which is potent enough to start working on spots as soon as you apply it. Smooth some onto your blemish as soon as you feel it forming, and it’ll stop it in its tracks.

Dryness

As we mentioned above, hair removal has a tendency to strip away the natural oils that the skin produces, which means that your face could end up feeling parched afterwards, especially if you had dry skin to begin with. Elemis Daily Moisture Boost may be from the mens range, but this is precisely why we recommend it, as it’s developed for use after shaving. It will give the skin back some much needed moisture and protect the skin against free radicals and other nasties.

Health and Happiness

Find true love online

06/02/2018 12/02/2018 0

The dating world is awash with apps and sites promising singles not only fun but also the change to meet that someone special and hopefully find love.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, if you feel like Cupid needs a little digital help when it comes to helping you find ‘the one’, we have done the research for you.

Some are old, some are new and we hope there will be one that works for you.

Match.com allows users to check out profiles based on criteria like appearance, hobbies and profession. You will be sent profiles of potential partners that correlate to the personality traits and interests you listed as important when you signed up and for many the right match comes along at the right time.

With Tinder, it’s all about the swipes. Log onto the app and check out the photos of fellow ‘friends’ and while there is a bio, this tends to be more about physical attraction than a mental connection…..well at the start of things at least.

For women who like to be in control, there’s Bumble. While it is pretty much based on first impressions and how people look, this app is all about the female users making the first move. As well as finding love, you can use Bumble Bizz to network and further your career and if it’s new friends you’re after, Bumble BFF is perfect.

By completing a detailed personality test, eHarmony matches you with potential partners who have similar interests and values. This well established, award-winning site has been bringing people together for over three decades, and if you don’t want to be bombarded with endless, unsuitable profiles, it could be the place for you.

Another mobile app that is on the rise, is Plenty of Fish which is used by thousands of love birds. This free matchmaking service claims to generate more conversations than any other dating site, with over one billion messages being sent every month! So, what are you waiting for, get in on the action.

If location is important when it comes to a love match, check out Happn. This app takes a different approach because it links you to people you’ve crossed paths with, people you like and people you’d like to find again. This could make the partner pool much smaller than you’d get with other apps, but if long distance relationships aren’t for you, this could work well.

Of course dating doesn’t just happen in the city. For all those fancy free farmers, sleepy village singletons, and country dwellers wanting to find love, Muddy Matches is just the ticket. With more than 200,000 members from the UK and Ireland who all have a passion for the great outdoors, there could well be a muddy match that’s perfect for you.

Busy lives, demanding careers and friends to keep in touch with means scheduling dates can be hard. Why not check out LoveStruck and set up a date before your first morning meeting or in your lunch hour? You can search their ‘Little Black Book’ for someone who lives or works close to you and if that first coffee doesn’t create a spark, you’ve lost nothing more than the cost of a cappuccino.

If you do go out on a date be sure to have but also be sure to let a friend know where you are going and text them so they know you got home safe.

Life and Fashion

Why Should I Buy Expensive Face Creams?

03/02/2018 02/02/2018 0

Royalty-free image

When every discount shop is offering so-called ‘miracle’ face creams for less than a fiver, it can seem really tempting to ditch the pricier products in favour of a bargain? One of my Nan’s favourite sayings was “you get what you pay for”, and favoured quality over quantity, but is there any real value to buying cheaper products? The short answer is no, and here’s why:

Testing

Generally speaking, products which are on the higher end of the price range, like Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream, which costs £145 for 100ml, are expensive for a number of reasons, with extensive testing being one of them. This product has been rigorously researched and tested, all of which costs a lot of money and allows Elemis to guarantee that they’re giving you the best product possible.

Ingredients

One of the most important reasons for high-end products being expensive is that they contain the best quality ingredients, many of which are quite rare. A great example of this is within Elemis Pro-Collagen Neck and Decollete Balm – it contains sea buckthorn oil, one of the richest known plant-sources of Omega-7, a rare and unique fatty acid, to nourish and smooth skin.

Exclusivity

Because of the amount of research and development that Decleor, Elemis and Dermalogica put into their products, they also have exclusive elements to their products which are uniquely owned by each brand which cannot be found anywhere else. Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum contains an exclusive blend of oligopeptides, rice-derived phytic acid, zinc glycinate and algae to address pigmentation imbalance for people who are dealing with hyperpigmentation.

Ahead of the Curve

The world of beauty is often subject to changing trends (remember how crazy we all went for micellar water a couple of years back?) and we see faddy ingredients come and go. Some ingredients, however, are so good that our brands have been using them for ages, staying ahead of the curve when it comes to ‘fashion’. Retinoids are a great example, featuring at the top of everyone’s ‘must have’ lists for 2018, but Dermalogica Overnight Retinol Repair has been around for ages!

Transparency

As we mentioned above, certain brands will follow trends and release new products accordingly, but although they may claim to contain a high-end ingredient, the chances are they contain the MINIMUM amount of this component that they’re allowed to add and still mention it on the label. With our brands, if it says something in the name, you can guarantee that it actually contains enough of this ingredient to make a difference to your skin.

Health and Happiness

Keep flu at bay this winter

30/01/2018 26/01/2018 0

With flu cases accounting for 22,000 visits to GPs, 85 deaths and hundreds of hospital admissions, it would seem we are dealing with a flu crisis this winter.

With sore throats, soaring temperatures, aching joints, headaches and coughing just some of the symptoms, this is one bug you could do without.

While there is no guaranteed way to avoid germs, as well as having the flu vaccination, you can make small lifestyle changes to help reduce the chances of picking up a virus that could knock you for six.

Wash your hands
Colds and flu are caught by direct contact and can be spread from hands, door handles, telephones, keyboards with germs living on surfaces for hours. To do your best to avoid picking bugs up, wash your hands, use hand sanitisers when you are out and about and if you know someone is sick, keep away because prevention is better than cure.

Sleep more
We all need different amounts of sleep but it is important to maximise your snooze time as this is when your body heals itself and your immune system gets stronger.

Keep stress under control
Stress isn’t good for us and can seriously weaken your immune system leaving you susceptible to catching colds and flu viruses. Keep your stress levels down by saying no to non-vital commitments, doing a little meditation and yoga each day, stepping away from social media, using your holiday time and taking time out for you each day – even if it is 10 minutes.

Watch what you eat
A diet rich in fruit and vegetables can help you avoid many health problems. We love citrus fruits, dark blue and red berries, mangoes, apricots, carrots and beetroot because they are packed with Vitamins A and C which support the immune system. It is a good idea to eat a portion of healthy protein at each meal as this keeps the body strong and healthy and swap coffee and fizzy drinks for water and herbal tea for maximum hydration. Keep white refined sugar to a minimum as this can interfere with your digestion and immune system. If you think your diet is lacking nutrients, consider a supplement.

Avoid alcohol
As boring as it is, drinking too much alcohol is bad for immune cells as they become dazed and confused…just like us…do don’t over do it and to have a few booze free days a week.

Get some fresh air
Stuffy offices, shops and buses are full of people breathing in stale air and breathing germs out, so get outside when you can. Walk rather than take public transport, if someone at work is coughing maybe move desks (be subtle) or open a window and always wash your hands after going to the loo and before preparing and eating food.

Take some exercise
Exercise is a great way to boost your circulation and this makes it easier for immune cells to whizz around your body, search for viruses and deal with them before the take hold. Exercise also stimulates the lymphatic system which is good at getting rid of damaging toxins and waste in the body and of course, those endorphins will make you happy.

Don’t smoke
As well as damaging your lungs and heart, smoking irritates the delicate tissues of your respiratory tract and depletes the Vitamin C you need for a strong immune system. Quit today and reap the benefits for a lifetime.

Keep warm and well.

Health and Happiness

Smoking – Why You Should Quit NOW!

27/01/2018 26/01/2018 0

Despite the absolute flood of information out there about how bad smoking is for you, it’s estimated that there are still 9.4 million smokers in the UK, an amount which represents almost one fifth of the population. The risks associated with smoking are numerous, including cancers of the lungs, throat and mouth, not to mention the detrimental effects it has on your skin, and now has never been a better time to quit. If the list of diseases isn’t enough to convince you, here are five other effects of smoking that you may not even have considered

Stained Skin

Constant exposure to tar and other chemicals through cigarettes is well-known for staining your fingers, but did you know that it could be staining your lips, too? Many smokers report areas of hyperpigmentation around the mouth which is literally caused by tar seeping into your skin and dying it brown, something which can be reversed once you quit by hitting a regimen of anti-pigmentation products.

Adult Acne

Researchers have discovered that adults who suffer with acne are more likely to be smokers, and it’s all to do with the fact that your skin doesn’t like nicotine. Smokers are also far more likely to suffer with blackheads and blemishes, which is likely a cause of the pollutants in the smoke which swirls around your face when you smoke a cigarette. If this is you and you’ve recently quit, opt for an acne-busting facial routine to get your skin back to being flawless.

Early Menopause

If you’re approaching the end of your reproductive years and you’re a smoker, there’s a high likelihood that your menopause will come earlier than you think. Studies have shown that heavy smokers are likely to experience menopause two years earlier than non-smokers, and can also make symptoms such as hot flushes significantly worse. Quit while you’re ahead to stave off the dreaded night sweats!

Dulled Senses

Most of us are aware that smoking can affect our sense of taste (how many times have you heard a recent quitter saying how everything suddenly tastes better?!) but did you know it can also affect your sense of smell and even your eyesight? Smokers are up to three times more likely to develop cataracts and two times more likely to suffer macular degeneration than non-smokers, and it’s the nasties in the tobacco which block your taste and smell receptors over the years.

Hair loss and greying

It’s long been discussed whether smoking contributes to hair loss and premature greying of the hair, and while in many people genetics play the biggest part, smoking has also been proved to make both things worse. The toxins in cigarette smoke effectively poison the hair follicles, affecting their ability to produce new hairs or affecting the body’s ability to produce melanin. Use a clarifying shampoo to rid your hair of any toxins which may be clinging on.

Health and Happiness

Reasons to embrace the cold weather

23/01/2018 30/01/2018 0

The mornings are dark, the days are cold and the evenings are, well, both.

While the chilly temperatures might have you diving for the duvet, it could actually be that the cold is good for your mind and body.

Yes, that’s right.

If you’re an active, healthy person, the cold weather doesn’t mean you have to put life on hold, in-fact it’s quite the opposite.

Burn More Fat
We aren’t saying you don’t need to do any exercise until the spring, but your body will naturally burn more of the ‘brown fat’ it likes to store, if you turn the heat down and let your internal central heating warm you up.

Enjoy Radiant Skin
Many of us think that winter weather equals dry, dehydrated skin but one of the benefits of cold temperatures include the fact that it trains blood vessels in the skin to be responsive and this cause redness. So, go easy on the blusher and instead, get outside and your lungs will be full of fresh air and you will have rosy cheeks and bright eyes.

Boost Your Body Image
One of the great things about winter is that we simply don’t need to think about shedding our clothes and revealing our ‘bikini body’ to the world. So, with the pressure off, the cold weather is a great time to focus on fitness goals for the year ahead and maybe take up something new (outside) that will get your heart rate going and blood pumping.

Get Running
There is no getting away from the fact that running in hot, humid weather is hard work and extremely taxing on the body. Running in the cold is perfect because less heat makes it easier and more pleasurable to run, you run faster to get warmer and this will speed up your metabolism and burn more fat. It might be cold when you set off but wear layers, as you will get hot, warming up exercises are still vital, you need to stretch afterwards and always drink plenty of water and you will be thanking the cold for making you feel and look so much better.

Sleep Well
You might want to turn up the heat and put the electric blanket on at this time of year, but it is thought that by keeping your body temperature between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit will help you sleep better and you’ll wake up feeling refreshed rather than sluggish.

Breath Better
There is something special about the clean quality of cold, crisp air so make the most of those frosty mornings and take long walks and enjoy the feeling of fresh air.

Declutter
We tend to spend more time at home in the winner and it could be that you see just how much ‘stuff’ you have that you really don’t need. Spend a weekend going through each room and as well as having a spring clean, also clear out what you no longer need and either recycle it or give things to your local charity shop. The result will be a fresh home and a clear mind that is free to focus on what matter.

Give Back
Rather than sitting home watching TV in the evenings, why not get involved with a community project or not for profit organisation and give something back – you never know, you might like it and do it all year round.

Feel the Love
When you’re warm and cosy inside and it is cold outside, this is the time to catch up with your nearest and dearest. There is nothing more therapeutic than a call with your sister or dinner with your best friend, so use the winter months as time to reconnect.

So, there’s no reason to hide away from winter weather, instead, wrap up, embrace it and enjoy all it has to offer.

Life and Fashion

5 Surprising Things Which Could Be Making You Look Older Than You Are

20/01/2018 19/01/2018 0

Ageing is a fact of life, but how you approach ageing can make a huge difference to the impact it makes to your appearance. Obviously, a daily regime of anti-ageing products should be your first port of call for keeping the signs of ageing at bay but there are several other things which have an impact too – here’s five of them:

Your Hair Colour

Grey is all the rage these days and if you’re lucky enough to have a ntaurally platinum shine to your hair, then you’re a lucky lady. However, some colours have a tendency to fade rather than go truly grey, and this washed-out look can make you look far older than you really are. Speak to your hairdresser about reviving your colour or going for something completely different which flatters your face.

Unflattering Clothing

Often, as we age and our bodies change shape, we can feel like we no longer know how to dress to suit our bodies and wearing unflattering clothing can be very ageing. Opt for fitted rather than baggy and try to avoid pastel colours or chintzy prints. Classic items which don’t follow trends are a great place to start and will last longer than items which will likely go out of fashion as soon as they come in.

Your Posture

Be it a lack of confidence, back problems or something else, lots of people have terrible posture and there’s nothing that will make you look more like an old lady than walking with a stoop. Try to correct your posture by ensuring that you wear good shoes and sleeping on a supportive mattress, and if you’re still struggling then it might be time to see your GP for a referal for some physio.

Super Skinny Eyebrows

Back in the late nineties and early noughties, when we were plucking our eyebrows into oblivion, we never imagined thick brows would be back in fashion like they are now, but it’s a fact, and super skinny brows now look very dated. Growing back your existing brows might not be possible if you’ve overplucked them for years but there are options available like microblading, which can give your eyebrows the fullness they lack.

Dated Make-Up

As with your hair, often your complexion loses pigmentation and your skin appears lighter, which means that your usual make up may no longer suit you. We highly suggest visiting a make-up counter of a brand that you love for a consultation on which colours suit the new you – and don’t forget a delicate make-up remover to protect your skin!

Health and Happiness

How to complete ‘Dry January’

16/01/2018 19/01/2018 0

Over the past few years, Dry January, has become ‘a thing’ and one that is gathering momentum.

Just to give you an overview, Dry January is an annual event where thousands of people give up alcohol for the first month of the year.

While January is a tough month already, the idea of abstaining from booze is that it gives participants the opportunity to ditch the hangovers, lose some weight, save cash, raise money for a charity close to their hearts and think about their relationship with alcohol.

If you have taken on the challenge then we have got some ideas of how you can stay dry all January and even carry on the good habits for the rest of the year.

Get a buddy
If possible, don’t go alone during Dry January. Rope in your husband, boyfriend, flatmate, sister or work colleagues and you can deal with all you have taken on, together.

Find alternatives
Whether it is water, squash, mint tea or mixers minus the gin, find something to replace your favourite tipple from the word go.

Take up a new sport
We aren’t saying everyone who drinks, doesn’t exercise, but taking up a new sport could do you the world of good and remove temptation from your path. Running, cycling, rowing or even a dance class could work well and give you a new lease of life outside of your beloved wine glass.

Step away from the pub
If you usually go to the pub after work a few times a week, you might want to take a different route home. We know you don’t want to lose your best mate, but maybe a weekly trip to the cinema, going to a yoga class or simply having a hot bath and early night will take away the temptation to have ‘just one’.

Keep busy
Without a cold beer in your hand to take your mind off the worries of life, it is key to keep busy in January. Keep busy. Whether you take to calling friends, writing to your grandma, cleaning the house or doing the weekly shop in-store, rather than on-line as you sip your drink, do it.

Snack the healthy way
Just like giving up smoking, keeping away from the wine can lead to you to bingeing on box sets while eating blocks of chocolate and family size bags of crisps. Healthy snacks such as energy balls, home-made popcorn, carrot sticks, almonds, cashews and bananas are so much better for you, and between those and the exercise you might drop a dress size too.

Treat yourself
If you are giving some up you actually really quite like, it is important to treat yourself and acknowledge you are doing well. With the money you are saving you could have a manicure, fancy haircut or afford to buy that fab bag you have been looking at for months.

Talk about it
Tell your friends how well you are doing when you see them, put updates on your social media feeds and when you are at the water cooler, rather than sharing your drunken weekend antics you can tell colleagues how much progress you have made.

Don’t binge in February
When the end of the month does come, don’t run straight to your local watering hole and drink all you can. We aren’t saying never drink again but keep a diary over the month so you can see the changes you have enjoy (no hangovers, more energy, money in the bank the day before payday) and work out if you actually do need the crutch you thought you could never give up.

If you are doing Dry January, well done, keep it up and good luck from all of us.

Team Pure-Beauty

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